Minami Sanriku Kira Kira Don or Kira Kira Bowl was created by the idea of Minami Sanriku Hotel Kanyo in 2008 in order to liven up the town of Minami Sanriku.
Then, it was diffused to several restaurants of the town in 2009.
There are 4 series of bowls according to the foods of four seasons, such as "Spring Coming Bowl", "Summer Sea Urchin Bowl", "Tasty Autumn Bowl" and "Winter Salmon Roe Bowl".
It was Awarded the prize of Food Action Nippon FAN Award 2014" by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.
"Spring Coming Bowl", collaboration with the local vegetables.
"Summer Sea Urchin Bowl", rich Sea Urchin with husk.
Completely covered by Sea Urchin.
"Tasty Autumn Bowl", seasonal Saury and Bonito.
Another version of "Tasty Autumn Bowl", with Conger Eel Tempura.
"Winter Salmon Roe Bowl", covered by shining Salmon Roe, Salmon Rose and Abalone.
Please come to enjoy yummy Minami Sanriku.
Sergio
It was taken place the first Star Party in Minami Sanriku on the roof top of Hotel Kanyo, inviting hotel guests, residents of Minami Sanriku including kids, astronomical lovers of Miyagi and from Kanto.
It was not good weather with clouds and snow, it was very cold or freezing.
Minami Sanriku is still under ricovery from Tsunami of 6 years ago, therefore there is only limited lights in the town, that is why we can observe beautiful stars.
We have set up telescopes anyhow the weather on the roof expecting clear sky under the heavy clouds.
Unfortunately the weather did not recover at the time to start, so we have started stars lecture in the meeting room.
Durung the lecture, the sky of Minami Sanriku was become clear completely.
We have immidiately suspended lecture and rushed to go upstairs to the roof of Hotel Kanyo
This is constellation Orion.
Then we have observed "Subaru", 6 new stars of M45 Pleiades.
You may know the logo of Subaru motors.
Next Star Party in Minami Sanriku will be around the end of March to observe constellations of spring time.
Sergio
Sharks are believed dengerous, but it is ferocious only 10% of sharks of the world. It means 90% of shark is calm and friendly to us.
Kesennuma is the biggest port to unload 90% of sharks in Japan.
The life of Kesennnuma is relied on the sharks.
Blue Shark
Heart of Salmon Shark
Great White Shark
Shark Fin
Whale Shark
Kesennuma Shark Museum
Wallet made of shark skin
Shark Jeans
Big mouth
Please come to Kesennuma to experience the culture of shark.
It is only 1 hour drive from Minami Sanriku to Kesennuma.
Sergio
Satohama Shell Mound is located between Ishinomaki and Matsushima where was lived by Jomon people, ancestors of Japanese, from 6,800 to 2,000 years ago for more than 4,000 years. Shell mound is long 600m and wide 200m thick 6m.
These faces are believed as typical Jomon people. The origin of Jomon people is considered as the Sundaland (former South East Asia) or the Siberia.
Jewelry of Jomon people, jadestone.
Arrowheads, for hunting.
House of Jomon people.
Excavation of Satohama started from Taisho Era, 100 years ago.
This is a replica of Jomon venus.
Sannai Maruyama ruins, the biggest Jomon village of Japan in Aomori, 40 hectare big.
New fashions of Jomon girl and Yayoi girl.
It is only 1 hour from Shizugawa to Satohama by Sanriku Motorway.
Please experience ancient Japan.
Sergio
Sergio again, this time as animal lover.
Please come to Miyagi if you want to see fox.
He is waiting for you. Fluffy.
Many foxes you see.
Relax. (=｀ェ´=)
Smile (=^･^=)
Fox is a symbolic animal of Japanese religion Shintoism.
Sometimes they deceive human as raccoon.
But, we love them and coexist with them.
We say "Kitsune" in Japanese.
If you love Udon noodle, I believe you know Kitsune-Udon, it may be called Fox noodle.
Arctic Fox also waiting for you. Like a stuffed animal.
I suggest you to have a car to go there.
1 hour drive from Sendai.
Sergio
(In Japanese)
キツネ村
またまた動物好きのセルジョです。
キツネが見たければ是非宮城へ。
もふもふで待っています。
いっぱいいます。
リラックスしてます。
笑顔で。
キツネは日本の宗教神道では象徴的な動物なのです。
時々タヌキと一緒に人を欺きますが、それでも日本人はキツネが好きで共存しています。
Foxは日本語でキツネといいます。
うどん好きのあなたならきつねうどんを食べたことがあるでしょう。英語ではフォックスヌードルというのでしょうか。
北極ギツネも待っています。ぬいぐるみのように。
キツネ村へ行くには車をオススメします。
仙台から1時間の運転です。
セルジョ
Do you know Soroban? It is the Japanese abacus or a traditional handy computer.
The origin of Abacus is not clear according to the Wikipedia, but in Japan the oldest Soroban found may be of the year 1444, 572 years ago.
This is the laboratory of Soroban in Kagoshima, handicrafted.
Traditional type with 5 beads of earth and 2 beads of heaven, used until Meiji or Taisho era.
Abacus is absolutely good to develop your brain, it is exported from Japan and opening several schools abroad. This is a text book of soroban in english.
You can count million, billion, trillion, much more than calculator.
Do you want to try these calculations?
Now soroban competion also in English.
In Hotel Kanyo it is open a soroban class 3 times weekly.
14 kids from this scoool have got a place at the soroban national competion in Kesennuma!!!
Phew, very difficult.
Sergio.
(In Japanese)
ソロバン、日本の計算機
ソロバン知ってますか？ 日本の計算機で、伝統的なポータブルコンピューターのことです。
ウィキペディアによると、ソロバンの起源は良くわからないようですが、日本の最古のソロバンは572年前の1444年まで遡ることができるようです。
この写真は鹿児島のソロバン工房で、手作りです。
これは明治大正時代に使われた上2珠下5珠の古いタイプです。
ソロバンは脳の発達に良く、日本から海外にも出ていて、いくつかのソロバン学校がすでに進出しています。これは英語版のソロバン教科書です。
百万、億、兆でも計算でき、計算機よりも大きい数字が計算できるのです。
この計算やってみます？
今や英語ソロバン大会もあります。
南三陸ホテル観洋でもソロバン教室を週3回行っています。
先日14人の子供たちが、全国ソロバンコンクール気仙沼地区大会で入賞しました。
ふい～、難しい～
セルジョ
It was taken place the 6th International Christmas Party at Minami Sanriku Hotel Kanyo organized by the volunteers of O.G.A. for Aid.
It was titled "RISE UP with SANTA SOUL TRAIN".
We have welcomed special guests as Mr.Konishiki former Yokozuna sumo wrestler, Mr.Terumasa Hino Jazz trumpet player, Mr.Stuart O TV Personality, Mr.Charlie Okamura Japanese singer in US, for the kids and people of the Minami Sanriku.
It was a happy merry christmas party thanks to all of OGA.
Sergio.
(In Japanese)
クリスマスパーティー イン 南三陸
OGAのボランティアスタッフによる第6回目となる国際クリスマスパーティーが南三陸ホテル観洋にて行われました。
タイトルは「立ち上がろう、サンタダンス音楽で」
元横綱KONISHIKIさん、ジャズトランペット奏者日野皓正さん、テレビタレントスチュアート・オーさん、アメリカの演歌歌手チャーリー岡村さんをゲストに迎え今年も南三陸の地域住民、子どもたちのために盛大に開催されました。
OGAの皆さんのおかげで、楽しい愉快なクリスマスパーティーになりました。
セルジョ
He was born in 1571, 445 years ago, in Yamagata.
He was the right arm of the Lord Masamune Date of Sendai.
By the order of Masamune, he had departed to Nueva Espana (Mexico) with his delegation and missionary Luis Sotelo from Uraga Port (Kanagawa) in 1612, but failed due to storm.
As the second trial in 1613, with a Galleon "Sant Juan Bautista" made in Ishinomaki, he had cruised successfully to Acapulco, then crossed Mexico to Veracruz.
His travel continued to Madrid and to Civitavecchia, a port city of Rome.
This is the statue of Tsunenaga in Civitavecchia, baptized Samurai with katana on the waist.
Hasekura Tsunenaga, Roman Noble, painted at Palazzo Borghese in Rome.
Itinerary of long round trip from Japan to Rome.
Port of Civitavecchia and Fortress Michelangelo.
Replica of Gelleon Sant Juan Bautista displayed at Ishinomaki as the memory of its delagation.
Portrait of Hasekura. National treasure of Japan.
You can visit the Museum San Juan Bautista in Ishinomaki for more detail. Only 1 hour drive from Minami Sanriku.
Sergio.
(In Japanese)
支倉常長、ローマに立った最初のサムライ
445年前の1571年現在の山形県に生まれる。
彼は、仙台藩主伊達正宗の家臣であった。
正宗の命を受け、常長はヌエバエスパーニャ（現メキシコ）へ向け使節団と宣教師ルイスソテロとともに1612年に浦賀港（神奈川県）を出発したが、暴風で座礁してしまった。
1613年、2回目のトライアルで石巻で建造されたガレオン船サンファンバウティスタ号でアカプルコまでの航海に成功し、メキシコをヘラクルスまで陸路横断した。
彼の旅はマドリッド、そしてローマの港町チビタベッキアへと続いた。
チビタベッキア市内にある洗礼を受けた常長の銅像。腰には刀が。
支倉常長、ローマ貴族、ローマ市ボルゲーゼ宮殿内の肖像画。
日本からヨーロッパ往復の長い旅程。
チビタベッキア港とミケランジェロ要塞。
ガレオン船のレプリカ。使節団の記憶を残すために石巻に展示。
支倉の肖像画、日本国宝。
詳細はサンファンバウティスタ博物館まで。南三陸から車で一時間です。
セルジョ
Nikka Whiskey was started its production of whiskey in 1940 by Mr. Taketsuru Masataka using the Scottish technology and the nature of Hokkaido.
He has married a Scotswoman Rita, then he was involved completely in the production of Scottish Whiskey. They were featured in NHK morning drama series.
After the success of Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido, he has established Miyagikyo distillery in a mountain side of Sendai along the clean Nikkawa river.
This is the gate to enter.
Sign board at the entrance.
Distillation equipments.
Kiln Tower for heat treatment, beautiful shape.
Tour guide invites you for tasting.
The guided tour is well organized to know the history and technology.
Scottish Bar? Good atmosphere.
Try the quality of Japanese whiskey without compromise.
Definitelly excellent.
Only 100 min. drive from Minamisanriku to Nikka Miyagikyo Distillery.
But, please do not drive after drink.
Sergio
(In Japanese)
ニッカウィスキー
ニッカウヰスキーは竹鶴政孝がスコットランドの技術と北海道の自然により1940年に生産を開始しました。
彼はスコットランド人のリタさんと結婚し、スコッチウイスキーの生産に没頭したそうで、NHKの朝ドラでも取り上げられました。
北海道余市蒸溜所の成功の後、彼は仙台郊外山麓の新川（ニッカワ）川流域に宮城峡蒸溜所を設立しました。
このゲートを通ります。
入口の看板。
蒸溜棟。
キルン塔、熱処理用で、きれいな形をしています。
ガイドさんがテイスティングに招いてくれます。
ガイド付き見学ツアーはうまくできていて、歴史と技術を学ぶことができます。
スコッチバー？ 良い雰囲気です。
妥協のない日本のウィスキーを試してみては？ 素晴らしいですよ。
南三陸からニッカ宮城峡蒸溜所までは車で100分です。
但し、飲酒運転は禁物です。
セルジョ。
It was running a train loved by the people of Sanriku coast.
This is JR Kesennuma Line.
It was very beautiful especially at the coast of Oya Kaigan under the sunset.
Now it runs only to Yanaizu station and it is suspended the service from Yanaizu to Kesennuma.
This is dead end.
After Yanaizu, there is still the station of Rikuzen Yokoyama, but the train does not arrive to this station.
The reason of suspention is the quake and tsunami caused in 2011.
This was the platform of Shizugawa station, but there is not any more.
It was applaused by many people when the first train departed on 11 December 1977, 39 years ago. This is Motoyoshi station.
Shizugawa station at the time of the first day.
The people of Sanriku coast are still missing this train.
We hope it recovers as soon as possible.
Sergio
(In Japanese)
JR気仙沼線
三陸沿岸には人々から愛された鉄道がありました。
JR気仙沼線です。
特に夕暮れ時の大谷海岸ではとてもきれいな列車でした。
現在は柳津駅までしか走っておらず、柳津駅から気仙沼駅までの運転は中断されたままです。
柳津駅ここが終点です。
柳津駅の次は陸前戸倉で駅舎はまだありますが、この駅には列車は来ていません。
中断の理由は2011年の地震と津波の被害によるものです。
これは志津川駅のプラットホームでしたが、今はもうありません。
39年前の1977年12月11日、一番列車が出発した時は大勢の人達に歓迎されました。本吉駅にて。
初日の志津川駅。
三陸沿岸の人々はこの列車を必要としています。
早く復旧しますように。
セルジョ
